Kathmandu, March 21:

The CPN-Maoist’s central information bureau today said that a statement issued by Directorate of Public Relations (DPR) of the Nepal Army (NA) yesterday was suspicious and objectionable.

The Maoist statement said that the appeal by the Directorate of Public Relation of the Nepal Army was issued based on the fictitious reports in some media that Maoist chairman Prachanda had met Chief of Army Staff Rookmangad Katwal.

“In a press conference organised a few days ago by Maoist central leader Agni Sapkota in the presence of senior Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai, some of the reporters had raised queries about the meeting between Prachanda and CoAS Katwal.

In reply, Sapkota had told the reporters that the meeting, which took place a few months ago and discussed on national security issue, had already been made public,” said the statement.

Media reports distorted and exaggerated Sapkota’s actual statement, the Maoist press release said adding that it was surprising that a responsible and sensitive institution like the NA issued its statement without verifying motives of the media reports.

The statement said Sapkota had already dismissed what had appeared in the media regarding Prachanda’s meeting with Katwal.

In its statement yesterday, the NA said it is committed to democracy and stated that it would not forge an alliance with or bow in front of any element trying to play with the country’s national integrity and sovereignty, with those raising arms against the democratic system or with those aiming to capture the state power by the way of terrorism and extremism.